These are the commonly asked questions about drum lessons in Boise.
Please use the button below to contact Boise Drum Studio if you cannot find an answer to your question.
I offer the following:
My lesson pricing includes weekly half-hour drum lessons at $125 per month. If you prefer hour-long weekly lessons, those are available for $240 per month.
One-off sessions are priced at $40 for a half-hour drum lesson and $75 for an hour-long session.
Boise Drum Studio allocates occasional lesson slots to scholarship students who are unable to pay the full tuition. If your student musician is very eager about taking percussion lessons in Boise but is experiencing financial hardship, please reach out to me.
All inquiries will be treated with the utmost in discretion and confidentiality.
I'm located in Southeast Boise, 10 minutes from downtown Boise via Parkcenter Blvd. I’m also only five minutes off of I-84, ensuring that my drum studio is easily accessible for percussion students traveling from Meridian, Nampa, and Mountain Home.
I typically offer half-hour drum lessons in Boise. For beginners, especially youngsters, this seems to be the perfect amount of time before information overload sets in. Motivated students and adult beginners are welcome to register for 45-minute or hour-long lessons.
I recommend starting music lessons between the ages of eight and ten, which is when the appropriate cognitive and developmental functions begin to settle in. I have accepted students as young as five, but this is really on a case-by-case basis.
That said, it's never too late to start drum lessons - I still take them!
Yes; in fact, this is one of my specialities. I have developed an approach to training technique and musical literacy that will set a beginner drum student up for a lifetime of musical satisfaction.
To ensure my approach is the right fit for your aspiring drummer, I offer a no-commitment trial lesson for just $30. This allows prospective students to experience my teaching style before committing to weekly drum lessons.
Yes, we offer online music lessons for students who prefer to learn from the comfort of their own home or who aren't able to travel.
For prospective students in Ketchum, Hailey, and other areas in the Wood River Valley, I offer remote drum and percussion lessons (and occasional in-person visits) through the Sun Valley Music Institute.
Generally not. My teaching studio has my lesson materials along with artist-caliber instruments, which my students benefit from using. In addition, I have to charge for my travel time which makes in-home lessons less cost effective for students.
On occasion, I can drop by a student's house for a lesson, but this is only by arrangement and is typically infrequent.
Yes! Please follow this link for more information on our homeschool drum lesson offerings.
Absolutely. I have a great rapport with adult beginners: they typically learn to read and assimilate new techniques very quickly. I also enjoy helping them debunk confusing YouTube drum videos.
I generally divide my half-hour drum lessons in two sections: technique and reading. For the technique section, we will warm up, review whatever exercises were assigned the previous week, and introduce new drills or patterns to practice for the following week.
For the reading section, we will work through one of the many reading packets I have created. Once these introductory packets are complete, we can move into the standard drum literature.
No. All I recommend for beginners is a practice pad, a pair of sticks, and a folder. Total investment: approximately $30.
If you want to start drum set instruction right away all you need is a floor to put your feet on - drums and hardware can come later. And you're always welcome to rent a drum set for a nominal fee if you're not ready to buy.
No, you don’t need to read music to start drum lessons. However, learning to read rhythms will make progress much faster, and we teach it step-by-step as part of lessons.
I have a Master's degree in Orchestral Instrument Performance (summa cum laude) from Temple University in Pennsylvania, where I studied with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
I've held percussion positions in the Hawaii Symphony and Boise Philharmonic, and currently serve as timpanist in the Opera Idaho Orchestra.
Yes! I have 20+ years of experience teaching the keyboard percussion instruments (marimba, xylophone, vibraphone) and an equal amount of time spent teaching percussion in Boise, Seattle, and Philadelphia.
No! While I have a Master's degree in orchestral performance and primarily focus on symphonic repertoire, I have lots of experience play all genres of music. I began my career playing in cover bands and have worked in virtually all genres. I currently perform as a member of Boise Jazz, Inc.
Start with a easy warm-up. Review an old technical exercise that we've done in the past that you'd like to revisit. Start slowly and gradually build up speed.
From there, review your current lesson materials, which will likely include both technical drills and patterns along with reading material. As always, stay loose. Stop and take a break if you feel any discomfort or tension.
In the words of Jerry Garcia, "As much as you want, man!" It's better to spend a few minutes every day than trying to cram everything the night before. My weekly assignments are highly focused, which means you won't need to burn the midnight oil at the practice pad. In addition, My lessons are structured so that you'll add a new skill every week.
One helpful trick I share with my students is to do a quick visual review on the way over to the lesson: everything will be top-of-mind for you when you arrive.
The three types of practice are:
Knowing which type of practice you're engaged in can help speed results.
Yes! I own and operate Idaho Percussion Services which rents high-end music equipment in Boise and throughout the Northwest. Students are often interested in renting drum sets, xylophones, and (especially) marimbas.
I accept cash, check, Venmo and PayPal. I'm not currently set up to accept credit card or Zelle.
Yes! My primary teachers have all used traditional grip, and I carry forth that legacy. Unlike many orchestra percussionists, I use traditional grip for concert snare drum in addition to the drum set.
I'm versed in three subsets of traditional grip: the Ancient rudimental-style grip, the concert grip, and the pipe-band grip.
Yes! I employ the Stevens technique in my marimba playing. When playing vibraphone and certain high-volume marimba parts, I will use a cross grip known as the Miceli grip, which is sort of a modified Burton grip.
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